Belt-adjustment device



Oct. 26, 1965 A. G. CARTER ETAL 3,213,503

BELT-ADJUSTMENT DEVICE Filed May 31, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ANDREW s. CARTER Big- E HERMAN e. ALOFS IN V EN TOR-S Oct. 26, 1965 A. e. CARTER ETAL 3,213,503

BELT-ADJUSTMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed. May 31, 1962 ANDREW G. CARTER ALOFS HERMAN G.

INVENTORS BY p/M United States Patent BELT-ADJUSTMENT DEVICE Andrew G. Carter, Grand Rapids, Mich, and Herman G. Alofs, 1512 Yorkshire SE., Grand Rapids, Mich; said Carter assignor to Andrew G. Carter and Harriett T. Carter, doing business as Carter Engineering Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a partnership Filed May 31, 1962, Ser. No. 198,965 3 Claims. (Cl. 24196) This invention relates to the construction of belt buckles, and particularly of the portion of these devces which forms an adjustable connection for the belt. Thus invention has been developed primarily in conjunction with safety belt equipment, and the need for adjustment of belt length to suit the needs of the individual user requires a device capable of simple manipulation and secure engagement. The cost is also a very important factor, since the increasing use of safety belt equipment is producing highly competitive manufacturing and marketing conditions.

The use of spaced parallel bars to provide an adjustable belt terminal is well-known. Normally, these bars are mounted so that one of them is capable of sliding toward the other, and the belt material is inserted in such a manner that tension will urge the movable bar toward the fixed bar to produce a jamming action capable of increasing the frictional engagement with the belt material to a point suflicient to resist belt tension without slippage. The present invention provides a device functioning within these general principles, the central significance of the invention being in the formation of the components for simplicity of assembly. The invention is intended for use in conjunction with a buckle frame having at least a portion which is channel-shaped in cross section to provide opposite sides supporting the bars engaged by the belt. A structural resilience of the frame material is utilized, in that some degree of deflection of the sides of the frame is required in order to admit the bars during the assembly procedure. This resilience is also utilized in providing a latch-type function in maintaining the fixed bar in its fully-assembled position. The several features of the invention will be analyzed in further detail through a discussion of the particular embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 presents a fragmentary sectional elevation of a buckle embodying this invention, with the belt-adjustment device in the normal load-carrying position.

FIGURE 2 presents a fragmentary sectional elevation on a plane similar to that of FIGURE 1, showing the relaxed position of the buckle used to increase the length adjustment.

FIGURE 3 shows a plan view, partially in section, of the first stage of the insertion of the floating bar of the device.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the procedure for inserting the fixed bar of the device.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale showing the arrangement for locking the fixed bar in position.

FIGURE 6 is a section on an enlarged scale illustrating the discontinuity of the frame used for locking the fixed bar in position.

FIGURE 7 is a section on the plane VIIVII of FIG- URE 6.

Referring to the drawings, the buckle illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 has a frame generally indicated at 10 in which an actuating handle 11 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 12 to control a latch mechanism (not shown). A belt 13 is interengaged with the fixed bar 14 and the floating bar 15 to produce a jamming action suflicient to resist the tension in the belt 13 without slippage. The forces of belt tension are transmitted through the frame 10 to the opposite side of the buckle assembly (not shown) at the abutments 16 and 17.

The end extension 18 and 19 of the floating bar 15, and the end extensions 20 and 21 of the fixed bar 14, are received in opposite aligned slots 22 in the sides 23 and 24, respectively, of the frame 10. The end-extensions 18-19 and 2021 are both formed as sections of reduced thickness of the respective bars, with the thickness dimension being selected to be slidably received within the slots 22. The extensions 18 and 19 terminate on surfaces 25 and 26, respectively, which are in planes inclined to the axis of the bar 15, and intersect the periphery of the central por tion indicated at 27 to form junction surfaces slanted to provide for the insertion of the bar 15 as shown in FIG- URE 3. The bar 14 is similarly formed at the ends. In the case of the bar 15, the distance parallel to the axis of that bar representing the maximum length between opposite end junction surfaces is selected to be slightly less than the distance between the sides 23 and 24 of the frame so that the floating bar 15 is freely movable in a direction parallel to the sides 23 and 24. The total length of the bar 15, including the projections 18 and 19, is also selected so that it may be freely inserted between the sides 23 and 24, and the projections 18 and 19 engaged with the slots 22, as long as the fixed bar 14 is not present.

The length of the slots 22 with respect to the width of the extensions 18-21 is selected so that the bar 15 cannot be moved to a sufiiciently inclined position (such as that shown in FIGURE 3) to become disengaged from the slots 22 as long as the fixed bar 14 is present. The length of the fixed bar 14 from one junction surface to the end of the opposite extension is carefully selected so that both extensions 18 and 19 Will not be receivable in the slots 22 at the same time without a small degree of initial deflection of the sides to the dotted line position shown in FIGURE 4. The bar 14 must be crowded into position to the point where the extension 21 will engage the slot 22 in the side 24 of the frame. A point is eventually reached where the extension will snap into engagement with the slot.

It now becomes desirable to fix the position of the bar 14 with respect to the slots 22, and this is done through the use of discontinuities indicated at 28 formed in the material of the frame 10 and preferably disposed to intersect the slots 22. The maximum length of the central portion 29 of the fixed bar 14, at the ends of the junction surfaces, is selected to be slightly greater than the distance between the sides 23 and 24, so that a solid pull is required to bring the fixed bar 14 to the left extreme of the slots 22 in perpendicular relationship to the frame sides, as shown in the several views. At this point, the ends of the central portion 29 snap into engagement with the discontinuities 28 to maintain this position of the fixed bar.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, tension in the belt 13 will cause the floating bar 15 to move to the left, in trapping the free end 30 of the belt between the bar 15 and the fixed bar 14. The belt can be shortened by simply grasping the free end 30 and pulling it, since the jamming action is uni-directional. To increase the length of the belt, however, it is necessary to grasp the outer extremities of the extension 18 and 19 (usually with the thumb and forefinger), and move the bar 15 to the position shown in FIGURE 2. Clearance is thereby established between the floating bar 15 and the fixed bar 14, and the free end 30 is free to move between these bars to the new adjusted length. A renewed application of belt tension will automatically shift the components into the gripping position shown in FIGURE 1.

The particular embodiment of the present invention We claim: 1. In combination with a buckle member having a channel-shaped frame position provided with relatively yieldable opposite sides and a back, each of said sides having an elongated slot, said slots being in alignment, an adjustable belt-securing device comprising:

a first bar, said first bar having end-extensions of reduced thickness normally slidably engaging said slots, respectively,

said first bar end extensions joining the central portion of said first bar at surfaces disposed in planes oppositely inclined to the axis of said first bar,

said first bar being initially receivable between said frame portion sides, for engagement of said end extensions with said slots, only in diagonal relationship therewith, and movable after said engagement into perpendicular relationship with said sides;

a second bar, said second bar having end-extensions of reduced thickness normally engaging said slots, respectively,

said second bar end-extensions joining the central portion of said second bar at junction surfaces disposed in planes oppositely inclined to the axis of said second bar, said second bar being initially receivable between said frame portion sides in the presence of said first bar, for engagement of said end extensions with said slots, only in diagonal relationship with said sides and accompanied by resilient outward deflection of said sides, said second bar being movable after said engagement into perpendicular relationship with said sides for receiving belt means looped around said first bar, and means on said frame sides forming discontinuities adjacent said slots engageable with portions of said second bar at the intersections of said second bar junction surfaces with the periphery of the central portion of said second bar, the engagement thereof requiring resilient outward deflection of said frame portion sides. 2. In combination with a buckle member having a channel-shaped frame portion provided with relatively yieldable opposite sides and a back, each of said sides having an elongated slot, said slots being in alignment, an adjustable belt-securing device comprising:

a first bar, said first bar having end-extensions of reduced thickness normally slidably engaging said slots, respectively,

said first bar being initially receivable between said frame portion sides, for engagement of said end extensions with said slots, only in diagonal relationship therewith, and movable after said engagement into perpendicular relationship with said sides;

Li a second bar, said second bar having end-extensions of reduced thickness normally engaging said slots, respectively,

said second bar being initially receivable between said frame portion sides in the presence of said first bar, for engagement of said second bar end extensions with said slots, only in diagonal relationship with said sides and accompanied by resilient outward deflection of said sides, said second bar being movable after said engagement into perpendicular relationship with said sides for receiving belt means looped around said first bar; and means on said frame sides forming discontinuities adjacent said slots engageable with portions of said second bar, the engagement thereof requiring resilient outward deflection of said frame portion sides. 3. In combination with a buckle member having a channel-shaped frame portion provided with a pair of relatively yieldable opposite sides and a back, each of said sides having an elongated slot, said slots being in alignment respectively, an adjustable belt-securing device comprising:

a first bar, said first bar having end-extensions of reduced thickness normally slidably engaging said slots, respectively,

said first bar being initially receivable between said frame portion sides, for engagement of said end extensions with said slots, only in diagonal relationship therewith, and movable after said engagement into perpendicular relationship with said sides; and

a second bar, said second bar having end-extensions of reduced thickness normally engaging said slots, respectively,

said second bar being initially receivable between said frame portion sides in the presence of said first bar, for engagement of said second bar end extensions with said slots, only in diagonal relationship with said sides and accompanied by resilient outward relative angular deflection of said sides with respect to each other and to said back, said second bar being movable after said engagement into perpendicular relationship with said sides for receiving belt means looped around said first bar.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 495,633 4/93 Hoyt 24-196 1,300,040 4/ 19 Stuart. 1,644,513 10/27 Davis 24-194 2,919,481 1/ 60 Pinken et a1. 24-496 FOREIGN PATENTS 731,927 2/43 Gennany.

DONLEY I. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Examiner. 

3. IN COMBINATION WITH A BUCKLE MEMBER HAVING A CHANNEL-SHAPED FRAME PORTION PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF RELATIVELY YIELDABLE OPPOSITE SIDES AND A BACK, EACH OF SAID SIDES HAVING AN ELONGATED SLOT, SAID SLOTS BEING IN ALIGNMENT RESPECTIVELY, AN ADJUSTABLE BELT-SECURING DEVICE COMPRISING: A FIRST BAR, SAID FIRST BAR HAVING END-EXTENSIONS OF REDUCED THICKNESS NORMALLY SLIDABLY ENGAGING SAID SLOTS, RESPECTIVELY, SAID FIRST BAR BEING INITIALLY RECEIVABLE BETWEEN SAID FRAME PORTION SIDES, FOR ENGAGEMENT OF SAID END EXTENSIONS WITH SAID SLOTS, ONLY IN DIAGONAL RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH, AND MOVABLE AFTER SAID ENGAGEMENT INTO PERPENDICULAR RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SIDES; AND A SECOND BAR, SAID SECOND BAR HAVING END-EXTENSIONS OF REDUCED THICKNESS NORMALLY ENGAGING SAID SLOTS, RESPECTIVELY, SAID SECOND BAR BEING INITIALLY RECEIVABLE BETWEEN SAID FRAME PORTION SIDES IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID FIRST BAR, FOR ENGAGEMENT OF SAID SECOND BAR END EXTENSIONS WITH SAID SLOTS, ONLY IN DIAGONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SIDES AND ACCOMPANIED BY RESILIENT OUTWARD RELATIVE ANGULAR DEFLECTION OF SAID SIDES WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AND TO SAID BACK, SAID SECOND BAR BEING MOVABLE AFTER SAID ENGAGEMENT INTO PERPENDICULAR RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SIDES FOR RECEIVING BELT MEANS LOOPED AROUND SAID FIRST BAR. 